There are a number of devices commercially available for storing parts prior to or after use. Many of these devices have comparable configurations or are similar in many characteristics to storage containers used for medications and/or pills. When utilized for pill storage and dispensing, there are a number of problems that arise for individuals who suffer from arthritis or other diseases of the joints making fine motor skills with the fingers or grasping of the hands difficult and painful. Others suffer from the lack of strength which prevents them from opening vacuum sealed jars and childproof caps easily. For some, whose medical conditions that extend into the joints of the wrists, elbows and shoulders, the twisting movements of opening a jar can be extremely difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,572 discloses a multi compartment container for pills wherein each compartment may be broken away from the container and wherein each compartment has an air tight closure or lid with a flap that may be used to open and close the lid. Unfortunately, for many, and particularly those with arthritis, it is difficult and painful to leverage the lid open with a finger by exerting force on the lid flap. To resolve this problem, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,378,885 and 4,432,300, are directed to a pill holder having a central chamber for maintaining the pills with a rotating cover, or top, which provides access to the chamber when an opening in the chamber and the cover are aligned. In use, the consumer must firmly grasp the device while at the same time twisting the top to align the openings and access the pills inside. These actions can be very difficult for an individual with advanced arthritis affecting both the fingers, wrists and elbows. In addition, the flexible plastic hinges that attach the lids to the container have a tendency to break over time from regular use or become less secure causing them to open unexpectedly spilling the medications or pills.
Other devices similar to those in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,378,885 and 4,432,300, divide the central chamber radially into a number of compartments so that multiple medications may be stored and accessed individually (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,572,376 and 8,033,422). Unfortunately, these devices suffer from the same problems as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,378,885 and 4,432,300; requiring both grasping strength and twisting ability.
Another device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,394 has a similar design. However, instead of having a chamber divided into compartments that rotate, it contains a rotating platform containing radial ribs defining the individual compartments that rotates within a cylinder having an access door. The radial ribs form two sides of the compartment while the cylinder provides the remaining side to complete the compartment. Unfortunately, this device suffers from the same problems as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,378,885, 4,432,300, 4,572,376 and 8,033,422.
In another configuration, a pill dispenser is disclosed having an upright housing with a plurality of individual compartments, or drawers, wherein each column of drawers represents a day of the week and each row represents an hourly part of the day. The device comprises electronics which keeps track of the date and time and notifies the user when medications should be administered. In addition, each compartment has a hinged cover similar to that in U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,572 which can be difficult for an individual with arthritis to open.
Consequently, there is a need in the industry for a device that can be easily opened by the elderly or individuals suffering from arthritis or a condition like arthritis that does not require significant grasping strength coupled with a twisting motion or the fine motor skills of a finger to open a snap-on lid of a compartment.
The forgoing examples of related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.